Robbie Williams has candidly discussed his struggles with ageing as he approaches his 50th birthday on February 13th. The former Take That star admitted to experiencing what he calls the 'manopause', saying: 'The hair is thinning, the testosterone has left the building, the serotonin is not really here and the dopamine said goodbye a long time ago.' He added that he has 'used up all of the natural good stuff'.
Williams rose to fame as the youngest member of Take That in 1991, but his resentment towards bandmate Gary Barlow led him to quit the group in 1995. In a recent Netflix documentary, he reflected on his jealousy of Barlow, stating: 'It seemed like there was one person being managed in Take That, and it was Gary Barlow. It was all geared around him and as a young person, I would’ve been jealous of that.'
The singer admitted that his anger motivated his solo career, saying: 'I wanted to crush him. I wanted to crush the memory of the band.' His debut solo album 'Life Thru a Lens' in 1997 was a massive success, and he performed record-breaking gigs at Knebworth in 2003.
Despite his professional achievements, Williams battled mental health issues and addiction. He recalled: 'I was ingesting everything I could get my hands on – ecstasy, cocaine, drinking. I’m literally drinking like a bottle of vodka a night.' He warned that he had to stop or 'I was gonna die.'
His life turned around when he met actress Ayda Field in 2006. They married in 2010 and have four children. Williams credits his family with helping him overcome his struggles, though he remains open about his ongoing challenges with ageing.
